Emergency Preparedness

Purpose

The Bergen County Department of Health Services works closely with hospitals, law enforcement, and other government agencies on advanced planning, trainings, exercises, and general emergency preparedness.

After the events of September 11, 2001, it became clear that effective response to both natural and man-made threats would require advanced planning among many organizations.

What is a Public Health Emergency?

A public health emergency is anything that poses an urgent threat to the public’s health. This could be in the form of a natural occurrence such as West Nile Virus or pandemic flu. It could also occur as a result of extreme weather emergencies such as hurricanes, floods, power outages, or heat emergencies.

An accidental or intentional man-made occurrence, such as an act of bioterrorism, would also result in a public health emergency.

What to Do

In the event of a public health emergency, public health officials will provide instructions on how you can protect yourself. This may include information on sheltering in place, hand washing, clinic operations, personal protective equipment, or how to receive preventive medications.